The Summoning by J.P. Smith isn't the type of novel I usually read, but it seemed perfect for spooky season. This is a case where the concept is more interesting than the novel.
The premise: Kit Capriol's life is in shambles. Her husband died in the World Trade Center on 9/11, then her daughter collapsed on a subway platform and has been comatose for three years, and now her financial status is precarious because she can't get any acting roles.
Desperate to pay her daughter's growing medical bills, Kit uses her acting skills (and a wealth of publicly-available obituaries and tributes) to market herself as a medium for families whose loved ones also perished on September 11, 2001. Then she begins hearing voices during her sessions and items are unexplainably moved in her apartment. Does Kit really have the ability to communicate with the dead?
The concept of anyone, especially a fellow victim, deceiving September 11 families is creepy on a human decency level. Given that starting point, I expected a great deal of "spooky creepiness" in this novel, but it didn't deliver. I'd classily this as psychological suspense more than a thriller or paranormal.
The audiobook is narrated by Ann Marie Lee who provides a great performance, but her voice sounds considerably older than I envisioned the main character which disconnected me from the story.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the review copy.
The premise: Kit Capriol's life is in shambles. Her husband died in the World Trade Center on 9/11, then her daughter collapsed on a subway platform and has been comatose for three years, and now her financial status is precarious because she can't get any acting roles.
Desperate to pay her daughter's growing medical bills, Kit uses her acting skills (and a wealth of publicly-available obituaries and tributes) to market herself as a medium for families whose loved ones also perished on September 11, 2001. Then she begins hearing voices during her sessions and items are unexplainably moved in her apartment. Does Kit really have the ability to communicate with the dead?
The concept of anyone, especially a fellow victim, deceiving September 11 families is creepy on a human decency level. Given that starting point, I expected a great deal of "spooky creepiness" in this novel, but it didn't deliver. I'd classily this as psychological suspense more than a thriller or paranormal.
The audiobook is narrated by Ann Marie Lee who provides a great performance, but her voice sounds considerably older than I envisioned the main character which disconnected me from the story.
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the review copy.
